Life-belt.



. PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. A. GROS. LIFE BELT. APPLIOATIQVN FILED `MAY5:'5, 1905.

QUI] llmlhi` vss UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ABEL GROS, OF SAINTES,` FRANCE, ASSIGNOR ONE-HALF TO GEORGE H. JACKSON AND ONE-FOURTH 'TO OOTAVE RONDIER, OF LA ROCHELLE, AND ONE-FOURTH TO JUDITH GROS, OF SAINTES, FRANCE.

Speeication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

Application n'led May l5, 1905. Serial No. 260,431.

To all when? it 1ct/1y concern/.-

Be it known thatI, ABEL GROS, a citizen of the French Republic, and ad resident of SaintesCharente-Infrieure, Francejhaveinproved life-belt which can be worn on the person all the time that one 1s on board ship without inconvenience, which can be worn under ones clothes and be invisible, which is always ready to act automatically, and which iscapable of supporting -a person in the water for a long time.

The invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the appended claim. 4

` In the annexed drawings, givenby way of "example, Figure 1 shows my invention in the form of a corselet. Fig. 2 shows. diagrammatieall and in section two floats adapted to be fitte to a corselet. Fig. 3 is a vertical diagrammatic section of receptacle for calcium carbid for the production of acetylene gas.

Fig. 4 is a similarsection at right angles thereto. Fig. 5 is a detail.

The life-belt shown in Fig.' 1 comprises four floats 1 2 of circular or other `form and connected in airs by a tube 3, the floats l being smaller t an vthe fioats 2. ,The smaller floats areintended to be arranged at the back 'and the two others on the front of the body.

These floats may be made of rubber or any other suitable material impermeable to air and water, and their capacity may vary according to the size of the wearer, and. consequentlyaccording to thesize of the belts. The tubes 3,which connect them, are made of like material.

The floats are inclosed in a corselct 4,

made of two pieces of suitable woven mate,-

to 5. This box is made of a light metal, aluminium, aluminium bronze, or nickeled cop.- per. Its form is referably that of a flat ar. allelepipedon witlh dimensions may vary according to the size of theJbelt with which it is to be used-that is to say, according to the size of the person who is to use it. AThe largest size would be about seven centimeters high by five centi- Imeters in.width and two centimeters in depth.' The interior of this box is divided into three compartments by two metal partitnions 7 and 8, which are removable and perfo'rated. The middle compartment, which is larger than the two others, -is intended to hold the calcium carbid.

9 is formed, and over this a valve-box 10, containing a rubber clack-valve 11, is fixed. The necessary drops Vof water for the formation of acetylene gas from the calcium carbid are introduced into the box throu h this valve. The'u'pper end of this box as an aperture 12,v larger than the aperture 9, over which on the outside of the box a valve-box 13, containin a rubber clac'k-valve 14, is mounted, an through which 'theacetylene generated in the box passes. 13 is formed with a thread, by means of which it can be screwed into a tapped tubulure or neck 15, Fig. 5, which has a throat 16, adapted to make a tight joint and at the same time i'ix it permanently in the-lower part ofone of the large floats. The acetylene passes from the box 6 into the float through this neck or tubuluref The apparatus is made ready for use and acts as follows: Having placed from ten to fifteen grams (according to the size of the box) of crushed calcium carbid of goodquality in the central compartment of abox 6, the cover is hermetically closed and the valvebox is screwed into, the neck 15 of oneof the large floats. Another box 6 is charged and rounded corners, an(- its The valve-box yfitted in like manner to the second large float. l l

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toms of the pockets 17 to permit of the water lower'compartment of-the carbid-box, and

passing through the perforated partition 8 nnpregnate the calcium carbid in the middle compartment, whereupon acetylene gas is instantly generated. This gas passes through the perforated lpartition 7, and, raising the i clack-valve 14, escapes by the tubulure 15 into the relative large float, andthence by the tube 3 into the small lloat, inllating both iloats fully in a few seconds.4 When the floats are inflated, the pressure within the box 6 closes the valve 11, thus preventing any more water entering the box and arresting the production of acetylene. The floats thus inilated are capable of supporting a person for an indefinite time with head and shoul-I ders above water.

- tacle and t Having now fully described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is*

In a life-belt, the combination with a corselet and gas and Water tight floats, of a receptacle for calcium carbid divided by perforated partitions into three compartments in the middle one ofwhich the calcium carbid is placed while the lower compartment is provided with a valve for the admission of water when the corselet is immersedtherein and the upper compartment is provided with a valve for the escape of the acetylene gas produced in the rece tacle into the lloats,'sa1cl recepe upper valve-box bein screwthreaded, and a tapped tubulure fixetoeach of the large floats for connecting said valvebox thereto, all substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two'witnesses.

- ABEL GROS. Witnesses:

E. CHEVREAUD, MAssE. 

